Exports may grow by 9%

Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The country's non-oil and gas exports in the first nine months of this year were expected to register surprisingly strong growth, despite signs of slowing economic activity in key export markets due to the current global oil hike.

A senior official at the Ministry of Trade, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the non-oil and gas export figure during the January to September period likely grew by around 9 percent from US$35.41 billion compared to the same period last year.

"BPS officials were surprised too... They have been checking with us repeatedly. But we'll still wait for the official result on Monday," he said.

He was optimistic that the government's 7 percent non-oil and gas export growth target of $50.73 billion for this year would be achieved.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) is expected to announce the official trade figures on Monday.

BPS export statistics official Dantes Simbolon confirmed the 9 percent growth figure.

But he said that the agency was still finalizing the trade figures.

Dantes said that the strong economic growth in China and other parts of Asia had contributed to the relatively stronger export growth of the country.

"The high gain is mostly due to China, which is now the locomotive in the region," he said.

Indonesia's largest non-oil and gas markets are Japan, the U.S., Singapore, China and Malaysia.

This year and next year, the Ministry also is hoping for an increase in exports of textile and apparel products, footwear and electronic components.